arousing it, then
filling it again. And she thanked God for giving her this man and this second
chance at a happy future.
“Thank you, querido .
But I need this. For me.”
He peered up at the house and through the window. “I don’t
see a tree up. Are you sure he’s going to be home?”
“Gordon does not like Christmas trees. In his opinion, they
are silly and messy, even artificial ones.”
And she thought about all the years that she did without or
made do with an artificial tabletop shrub wrapped with tinsel and a few bulbs
for the children’s sake. Since leaving Gordon, she had put up a lavish tree for
herself each year, just because she could. And the huge, beautiful tree that
she and Caleb had decorated in Hunter and Kata’s new house would take
everyone’s breath away. It had certainly stolen hers…along with the deep kisses
of passion Caleb had given her as they decorated.
“Gordon will be here,” she added. “He does not work on
Christmas Eve and does not speak to his brother, which is the last of his
family.”
“Definitely a miserable prick,” Caleb commented.
His face asked how she could have stayed married to such a
jerk for so long. Carlotta knew that if she had to do it all again, she would
find some other way to support her children. Go back to school, pound the
pavement for a better job. She might have taken the help that Eduardo’s parents
had offered after his death. Then she’d been too scared and proud and worried
that his wealthy, influential family would take the children from her. Those
fears had largely been in her head, and because she had been too frightened to
ask questions, she had withdrawn into herself—and made an easy mark for Gordon.
No more stalling. She wanted to start this holiday season
with a lighter load, a brighter future. Time to jettison the past.
“I will be back shortly.” She opened the car door.
Before she could step out, Caleb put a firm hand on her arm.
“So long as we understand one another. You do not go in the house and allow him
to shut the door behind you. You don’t place yourself at his dubious mercy.”
Carlotta nodded. They had talked about how to keep this
confrontation safe. He didn’t like that she needed to do this, but he respected
it. She leaned forward to kiss him. “He will not lay a hand on me. I will not
allow him to put me in a vulnerable position. I will be back in two minutes.”
He nodded, the strong angles of his face tight. “And I’ll be
watching.”
With a little smile, she stepped from the car and shut the
door behind her. Yes, she might have been motivated to do this eventually, but
Caleb…wonderful, solid Caleb, had given her the strength to both see that she
needed to exorcise this part of her past and the will to do it.
Up the long curved walkway, Carlotta found her stomach
tangling into knots. The familiar hollow feeling emptied out her chest. One foot in front of the other. Breathing was difficult as she knocked on the door.
Gordon answered a minute later in a pair of slouchy sweat
pants and a dingy undershirt. His grouch expression morphed into something
curious, almost gloating, when he caught sight of her.
Leaning against the portal, he smirked. “Seen the error of
your ways finally? Did Kata’s father-in-law see how worthless you are, too? Did
he kick you to the curb? Aww, and on Christmas Eve.”
“No, Gordon. For once, you are not dictating the conversation.
I am, and you will listen to me. I never want to see you again. Stop calling my
place of work. If you happen to see me in public, ignore me. I will do the same
to you. Nothing that comes out of your vile mouth is of interest to me. You
have never respected me in the past, but I am demanding you to respect these
wishes.”
“Why? For the sake of our fabulous years of marriage?” he
sneered.
“I would like to say because you are a decent human being
with a heart, but since I know better, I will instead tell you that you no
longer have
filling it again. And she thanked God for giving her this man and this second
chance at a happy future.
“Thank you, querido .
But I need this. For me.”
He peered up at the house and through the window. “I don’t
see a tree up. Are you sure he’s going to be home?”
“Gordon does not like Christmas trees. In his opinion, they
are silly and messy, even artificial ones.”
And she thought about all the years that she did without or
made do with an artificial tabletop shrub wrapped with tinsel and a few bulbs
for the children’s sake. Since leaving Gordon, she had put up a lavish tree for
herself each year, just because she could. And the huge, beautiful tree that
she and Caleb had decorated in Hunter and Kata’s new house would take
everyone’s breath away. It had certainly stolen hers…along with the deep kisses
of passion Caleb had given her as they decorated.
“Gordon will be here,” she added. “He does not work on
Christmas Eve and does not speak to his brother, which is the last of his
family.”
“Definitely a miserable prick,” Caleb commented.
His face asked how she could have stayed married to such a
jerk for so long. Carlotta knew that if she had to do it all again, she would
find some other way to support her children. Go back to school, pound the
pavement for a better job. She might have taken the help that Eduardo’s parents
had offered after his death. Then she’d been too scared and proud and worried
that his wealthy, influential family would take the children from her. Those
fears had largely been in her head, and because she had been too frightened to
ask questions, she had withdrawn into herself—and made an easy mark for Gordon.
No more stalling. She wanted to start this holiday season
with a lighter load, a brighter future. Time to jettison the past.
“I will be back shortly.” She opened the car door.
Before she could step out, Caleb put a firm hand on her arm.
“So long as we understand one another. You do not go in the house and allow him
to shut the door behind you. You don’t place yourself at his dubious mercy.”
Carlotta nodded. They had talked about how to keep this
confrontation safe. He didn’t like that she needed to do this, but he respected
it. She leaned forward to kiss him. “He will not lay a hand on me. I will not
allow him to put me in a vulnerable position. I will be back in two minutes.”
He nodded, the strong angles of his face tight. “And I’ll be
watching.”
With a little smile, she stepped from the car and shut the
door behind her. Yes, she might have been motivated to do this eventually, but
Caleb…wonderful, solid Caleb, had given her the strength to both see that she
needed to exorcise this part of her past and the will to do it.
Up the long curved walkway, Carlotta found her stomach
tangling into knots. The familiar hollow feeling emptied out her chest. One foot in front of the other. Breathing was difficult as she knocked on the door.
Gordon answered a minute later in a pair of slouchy sweat
pants and a dingy undershirt. His grouch expression morphed into something
curious, almost gloating, when he caught sight of her.
Leaning against the portal, he smirked. “Seen the error of
your ways finally? Did Kata’s father-in-law see how worthless you are, too? Did
he kick you to the curb? Aww, and on Christmas Eve.”
“No, Gordon. For once, you are not dictating the conversation.
I am, and you will listen to me. I never want to see you again. Stop calling my
place of work. If you happen to see me in public, ignore me. I will do the same
to you. Nothing that comes out of your vile mouth is of interest to me. You
have never respected me in the past, but I am demanding you to respect these
wishes.”
“Why? For the sake of our fabulous years of marriage?” he
sneered.
“I would like to say because you are a decent human being
with a heart, but since I know better, I will instead tell you that you no
longer have
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